The Federal Work-Study Program encourages students to earn money toward their education expenses by performing community service work and work related to courses of study.

Salary

If your child qualifies for Federal Work-Study Program, his or her salary may start at the federal minimum wage, though it could be higher, depending on the type of work and required skills.

The total Work-Study award depends on the application date, the level of financial need, and how much money the school has available.

Undergraduate students are paid by the hour. Unlike loans, money is not paid before it is earned. No Work-Study student may be paid by commission or fee. Students must be paid directly by the school at least once a month.

Hours

The amount earned cannot exceed the total Work-Study award. When assigning work hours, the employer or financial aid administrator take your child's class schedule and academic progress into consideration.

On-campus versus off-campus jobs

• On-campus work is usually done for the school.
• Off-campus work is usually provided by a private nonprofit organization or a public agency, and the nature of the work must be in the public interest.

Some schools may have agreements with private for-profit employers for Work-Study jobs, which must be judged to be relevant to the course of study. If your child attends a proprietary school, there may be additional restrictions on available jobs.